Leeds Maternity Group Action

If you or your baby were harmed by maternity care failings while being looked after by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, you may be able to make a medical negligence claim. You deserve to be heard, and our specialist birth injury solicitors are here to support you every step of the way.

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Author

Trevor Ward

Partner Solicitor, Head of Birth Injury Unit

Last Updated

17th July 2026

Can I make a maternity negligence claim against Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust?

Recent inspections have highlighted areas where mothers and babies were not always kept safe. You may be able to make a claim if you or your baby suffered avoidable harm while receiving maternity care at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Concerns have been raised about the standard of care at Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s University Hospital.

The Trust has been placed under NHS England’s Maternity Safety Support Programme, following serious concerns about the safety of its maternity and neonatal services. A diagnostic report published in May 2025 identified a number of significant issues, including inadequate monitoring equipment, gaps in triage processes, and poor communication with patients and families. In June 2025, the CQC downgraded maternity services at Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s University Hospital and urged the trust to make immediate improvements.

If you were a patient at one of these hospitals and experienced a traumatic birth, suffered an injury, or your baby was harmed, and you believe the care you received fell below an acceptable standard, you may have a valid claim. This includes situations where there were delays in recognising a problem, inadequate fetal monitoring, poor communication, or a failure to follow recognised clinical guidance.

Even if you are unsure about the standard of the care you received, it is still worth speaking to us. We will tell you honestly whether you have a case.

Example of a Leeds maternity negligence claim

Imagine a pregnant woman whose baby begins to show signs of distress during labour, but delays in monitoring and escalation mean the problem is not recognised quickly enough. Her baby is born with an avoidable hypoxic injury and she experiences a preventable third degree tear because intervention came too late. If these delays fell below the standard expected of a safe maternity service, this could form the basis of a valid maternity negligence claim.

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Securing interim payments to ensure early access to support

What compensation can help with

Compensating for the support you and your family may need.

Securing compensation for Leeds maternity negligence helps ensure you and your family can access the treatment and practical help you may need, especially where avoidable harm has led to longterm injury. It provides financial stability so you can focus on recovery and planning for the future. This may include rehabilitation, specialist therapies, longterm care planning and support from case managers

For many families affected by maternity negligence at Leeds NHS Trust, the impact of a birth injury or maternity failing can be felt for a lifetime. For babies who suffer injuries at birth, compensation can fund specialist therapies, equipment and care from an early age, giving them the best possible chance of a full and independent life. For mothers who have experienced physical or psychological harm, it can cover treatment costs, lost earnings and the ongoing support needed to recover.

A successful claim against Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust may help fund:

Specialist medical treatment and ongoing healthcare
Rehabilitation and physiotherapy
Psychological support for mothers and families
Specialist therapies and equipment for a child injured at birth
Loss of earnings, both current and future
Care and support needs, now and long term
Home adaptations or specialist accommodation if required
Travel and transport costs related to treatment and recovery
Support from therapists, charities and specialist organisations to help your family rebuild after trauma

Understanding the potential value

The value of a Leeds maternity negligence claim depends on your family’s individual circumstances, including the severity of the harm, the long term impact on daily life and the care or support you or your child may now need.

Every experience is different, and we take time to understand what this has meant for you before giving a clear and honest view of the potential value of your claim. Our focus is always on securing the support your family needs for the future.

Understanding interim payments

When maternity negligence leads to avoidable injury and lifetime care needs, the financial strain often begins long before a claim is concluded.

Where possible, we’ll seek interim payments during the claims process so you can access treatment, therapy or essential support as soon as possible.

This means your recovery, or your child’s recovery, does not have to wait while your case progresses – allowing you to focus on what matters most.

Specialist maternity negligence solicitors

We are nationally recognised for our work in birth injury and maternity claims.

Why choose Fletchers for your Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust claim?

Birth injury and maternity negligence claims demand a team that truly understands the impact these failings have on mothers and their families. Our specialist solicitors focus solely on complex maternity negligence cases, working closely with trusted independent medical experts and a wider support team to build the strongest possible case. Ranked by The Legal 500 and Chambers and recognised for our results in serious birth injury claims, we give families the confidence that their case is being handled by true specialists.

Expertise you can rely on

One of the UK’s leading birth injury teams with over 40 dedicated specialists
Decades of specialist birth injury experience supporting hundreds of families
Independently recognised by The Legal 500 and Chambers for excellence in medical negligence
Accredited by the Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel and AvMA’s Specialist Clinical Negligence Panel
Strong support from inhouse clinical specialists with deep understanding of obstetric and neonatal care
Trusted network of leading independent medical experts to provide authoritative evidence
Proven track record in the most complex, high value birth injury cases including multimillionpound outcomes
Warm, empathetic support from first call to final outcome
Strong links with charities, therapists and case managers to help families access wider support
No win, no fee protection so you can pursue answers without financial risk

You're not alone

Your experience matters, and you deserve support.

Birth trauma can affect bonding, early parenthood and the longterm emotional wellbeing of parent and baby. The impact can be significant and far-reaching. Every family we support has experienced maternity negligence in a way that feels truly unique and personal to them – their stories are all important, and we feel honored to represent each of the families we have worked closely with.

Your experience matters too. If you’ve experienced maternity negligence at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, we understand that must be feeling let down, angry and overwhelmed. Many mothers describe a sense of guilt, wondering whether they should have spoken up or noticed something sooner. You deserve to know that none of this is your fault. It can be hard for parents to come forward, especially when they are still trying to make sense of what happened and their priorities have shifted.

That is why we offer a free, noobligation case assessment. There is no pressure to move forward with a claim. Instead, we promise to listen to your experience, give you the space to talk it through, and explain your options clearly so you can decide what feels right for you. We will handle every part of the legal process, keep you informed throughout, and work to secure an outcome that reflects what you and your family have endured. You deserve answers, support, and a team that stands with you from the very first conversation.

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FAQs about maternity negligence claims against Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

What failings have been identified at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust?

A diagnostic report published in May 2025 as part of the NHS England Maternity Safety Support Programme identified a number of serious concerns, including a lack of CTG machines for safe monitoring of women in labour, the absence of cell salvage equipment at Leeds General Infirmary, a broken intercom and CCTV system in the Maternity Assessment Centre, a lack of a systematic triage process, and concerns about how safety issues were being escalated and resolved.

The CQC downgraded maternity services at Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s University Hospital to ‘inadequate’ and, in June 2025, urged the trust to make immediate improvements to its maternity and neonatal services.

How do I know if I have a valid Leeds maternity negligence claim?

You may have a valid claim if you or your baby suffered harm that could have been avoided with a proper standard of care. This might include a delayed diagnosis, failure to monitor effectively, inadequate response to signs of distress, or poor communication. You do not need to be certain – that is our job.

How long do I have to make a claim?

In most cases, you have three years from the date of the negligence, or from the date you became aware that negligence may have caused the harm, to make a claim.

For children, the three-year period does not begin until their 18th birthday, which means a claim can be brought at any point before they turn 21. There are exceptions to these rules, so if you are unsure whether time has run out, please speak to us as soon as possible.

What will happen when I first get in touch?

When you first contact us, we will offer a free case assessment. We will take the time to listen to your experience, understand what you hope to achieve, and explain whether we believe you have a valid claim.

There is no obligation to proceed. If we take on your case, we will begin an investigation – collecting relevant evidence, identifying who is legally responsible, and assessing the nature and extent of the harm suffered. We will then enter negotiations with the trust to seek a fair settlement, or pursue the case through the courts if necessary.

What evidence will I need?

We will help you gather the evidence needed to support your claim. This typically includes your medical records and maternity notes, any correspondence with the trust, and details of the impact the harm has had on you and your family.

We will also instruct independent medical experts to review your case and provide their expert opinion on whether the care you received fell below the required standard. You do not need to gather everything yourself – we will guide you through what is needed.

What support will I receive during my claim?

We know that pursuing a legal claim can feel daunting, especially when you are still dealing with the impact of what happened.

Our team will keep you informed at every stage, explain things clearly, and make sure you always know what is happening and what comes next. Where possible, we will also seek interim payments to help cover immediate costs – such as treatment, therapy or specialist care – so you do not have to wait until the end of your case to access the support you need.

Is this a No Win No Fee claim?

Yes. We handle maternity negligence claims on a No Win No Fee basis. This means you can pursue your claim without any upfront financial risk.

If your case is not successful, you will not have to pay our legal fees. We will explain the full terms of your No Win No Fee agreement clearly before your case begins.